Compressing Audit Timelines.
Through Integrated Controls and Digital Documentation
The Challenge:
Extended audit cycles and poor documentation
This growing manufacturing business faced prolonged annual audits, previously stretching beyond three months.
With decentralised documentation, incomplete working papers, and unclear reconciliations, the finance team struggled to satisfy auditor requirements efficiently.
This delayed financial reporting and disrupted leadership decision-making.
The Approach:
Embedding digital records and system-based controls
I led an overhaul of the business’s internal financial controls and digital documentation strategy.
I began by restructuring Sage 200 to enable cleaner chart of accounts and better nominal coding, linking accounts directly to reconciled data sources.
I then introduced a culture of control ownership across departments by training non-finance teams to upload supporting documents directly into transaction records, enabling audit trails at every touchpoint.
Key controls included:
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Automated invoice processing using AI tools with document capture linked to each transaction.
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Departmental workflows requiring upload of quote requests, sales orders, delivery notes, and test certificates at each stage of the supply chain.
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Introduction of a document portal for real-time cross-referencing during audits.
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Balance sheet reconciliations automated with built-in audit checklists and sign-offs.
The Result:
Audit time reduced from 3 months to 2 weeks
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Annual audit cycle compressed from over three months to just two weeks.
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Improved auditor satisfaction and trust, reducing queries and back-and-forth requests.
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Enhanced leadership confidence in reporting accuracy and regulatory compliance.
